Electrical switch



June 19, 1945.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Nov. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l l L.SaZZer.

June 19, 1945. L, SALTER ELECTRICAL SWITCH Filed Nov. 15 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4/R k ELIE-.5.

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Patented June 19, 1945 fUNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL SWITCH Avery L. Salter, Johnston, S. C.

Application November 13, 1943, Serial No. 510,165

7 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical switches for lines and transformers and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for automatically connecting a second fuse element in the circuit, when the first fuse element is blown.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch device of the above mentioned character, which is held in the raised closed position. while any of the fuse elements are active, but which will automatically drop to the open position, when all of the fuse elements are blown.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch device of the above mentioned character having a spring actuated contact which is connected with the fuse element of the first cartridge and will automatically move into electrical connection with the fuse element of the second cartridge, when the fuse element of the first cartridge is blown, and will pull the fuse element of the first cartridge out of the cartridge tube.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch device of the above mentioned character having a latch element which is connected with the fuse elements of the cartridges, which control the movement of the latch element.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch device of the above mentioned charac ter, which is simple in construction and may be readily loaded with the cartridges.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description. I

- In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a switch device embodying my invention, parts in central vertical section,

Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken on line l -l of Figure 1,

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a similar view taken on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the switch device, parts broken away, showing the swinging contact element engaging the terminal of the second cartridge,

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the switch device, parts broken away, showing .both fuse elements as blown, and the body portion of the switch device in the act of dropping to the open position, and

Figure 6 is a transverse section through the supporting frame, taken on line fi-6 of Figure 4. In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the. numeral 10 designates an inclined insulator, carried by a bracket ll, mounted upon a pole or the like. Mounted upon the upper end of the insulator It is an upper metal terminal I2, carrying a lug l3 formed of metal and electrically connected with the line ll, Metallic leaf springs Hiare provided, and each spring has one end thereof clamped to the lug I3 and this leaf spring is bent between its ends to provide a lower socket or notch l6 and has an up turned free end ll. Rigidly secured to the lower end of the insulator I0 is a metal terminal l8, having a metal lug l9 rigidly secured thereto and electrically connected with the wire or load 2i). Rigidly secured to the metal lug i9 is a metal bracket 2!, having spaced arms 22, carrying at their free ends upturned hooks 23,

The switch device comprises a body portion 24. This body portion comprises a supporting frame or member, including an inverted U-shaped portion 25, having arms 26. Rigidly secured to the top of the inverted U-shaped portion 25 is a horizontal member 2'! including a pair of connected loops 28. These loops have outer openings 29 and set screws 30, as shown. The arms 26 are provided near their lower ends with openings and receiving a horizontal transverse pin 3 I, Fig

ure 3, pivotally mounted within the hooked ends.

33 of a torsional coiled spring 34, surrounding the pin 3| and having its opposite end 35 engaging the adjacent arm 26. The spring 3'4 is tensioned to swing or throw the contact element 3| from the position shown in Figure l to the position shown in Figure 4. The contact element 32 is formed of metal and the U-shaped portion 25 and part 21 are also preferably formed of metal.

The body portion 24 further comprises an upper unit or frame, preferably formed of metal and including tubular sockets 36 and 31, rigidly connected at their lower ends by a web 38. The socket 31 has a ring 31 rigidly secured thereto, to receive the end of a pole to swing the body portion to the raised or lowered position. These tubular sockets have screw threaded bores 39 and shoulders 40. A latch element or lever 4! is pivotally mounted upon the tubular socket 36, as shown at 42, and extends across the upper ends of the tubular sockets. This latch element or lever swings vertically with relation to the tubular sockets and is provided at its inner end with a transverse projection or rod 43, rigidly secured thereto. The parts 4| and 43 are formed of metal. The projection 43 is adapted to engage within the socket or notch IE, to hold the body portion 24 from dropping to the lowered position. The latch element or lever 4| has openings 44, as shown. A cartridge is associated with each tubular socket and forms a part of the body portion 24. The cartridge may be of any well known or preferred type. The cartridge comprises an outer tube 45 of insulating material and this tube is screwed into the adjacent socket, while its lower end is held within the opening 29 of the loop 28. The set screw 30 serves to prevent improper turning of the tube 45. Arranged within each tube 45 is a. fuse element 46 of any well known or preferred type. At one end this fuse element asses through the opening 44 and has a head 41, engaging above the latch element H. The fuse element comprises a fusible part 48 and a pull wire or element 49. In the cartridge to the left held within the tubular socket 36, the lower end of the pull wire 49 is secured to the end of the swinging contact element by means of a binding post 50, while the pull wire 49 of the other cartridge held within the tubular socket 3'! has its lower end secured to a metal termina1 Si by means of a binding post 52. This metal terminal is mounted upon the lower end of the tube 45 of the second cartridge. Both fuse elements are held taut and the heads 41 of both fuse elements pull the latch element or lever 4| downwardly, so that it is arranged adjacent to or in contact with the tubes of the tubular sockets 31 and prevented from turning upon its pivot 42.

The operation of the switch device is as follows. When the body portion is in the raised or closed position, Figure l, and both fuse elements 48 are active (not blown), the projection 43 engages within the socket or notch Hi. The fuse element 46 of the tubular socket 36 is now in electrical connection with the terminals [3 and I9 while the fuse element 48 of the other car trldge is not connected across these terminals. When the fuse element to the left, Figure l, blows due to lightning surge on line and transformer, or overload, the fusible part 48 melts. This will release the pull wire 49 and the contact member 32 is swung by the spring 34 from the position shown. in Figure 1 to the position shown in Figure 4, wherein it contacts with the metal terminal 5! and thereby connects the second fuse element 46 across the terminals l3 and I9. This second fuse element now holds the latch element or lever against turning movement upon its pivot 42. Should this second fuse element blow, it will release the latch element 41 which will then be free to turn upon its pivot 42 and the projection 43 will shift downwardly, and the body portion 24 will swing or gravitate to the lowered open position, turning upon the pin 3|. When this occurs, the attendant must reload the device with new fuse elements, and again swing the body portion to the raised or closed position, so that the projection 43 will engage within the socket or notch Hi. When the contact element 32 was swung from the left to the right, Figure l and Figure 4, it pulled the wire 49 and associated elements from within the tube of its cartridge, as shown in Figure 4.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An electrical switch comprising, a structure, means to support the structure so that it may drop from the raised position to a lowered posi tion when released, a movable latch element carried by the structure to control its dropping movement, a member for coacting with the latch element for detachable engagement therewith, pull fuse units including fusible parts carried by the structure, said pull fuse units being mechanically and electrically connected with the latch element to retain the same in the holding position, a terminal electrically connected with one pull fuse unit, a movable contact element mounted upon the structure and electrically and mechanically connected with the pull fuse unit that does not have the terminal electrically connected therewith, against movement by its pull fuse unit before the pull fuse unit blows, and means to move the contact element into engagement with said terminal when the attached pull fuse unit blows.

2. An electrical switch comprising, a structure, means to pivotally support the structure so that it may drop from the raised position to a lowered position when released, a latch element pivotally mounted upon the structure and adapted for connection with one side or the line, a member to be detachably engaged by the latch element, pull fuse units including fusible parts carried by the structure, said pull fuse units being mechanically and electrically connected with the latch element to prevent the same from turning upon its pivot so that the latch element is retained in holding engagement with said member and the structure will not drop, a terminal electrically connected with one pull fuse unit, a contact member pivotally mounted upon the structure and mechanically and electrically connected with the pull fuse unit that does not have the terminal electrically connected therewith and being adapted for connection with the opposite side of the line, said contact member being held against movement by the attached pull fuse unit before it blows, and a spring to move the contact element into engagement with said terminal when the attached pull fuse unit blows.

3. An electrical switch comprising, a structure, means to pivotally support the structure so that it may drop from a raised position to a lowered position when released, the supporting means being adapted for electrical connection with one side of the line, a latch element pivotally connected with the supporting structure and having openings, resilient latch means for coaction with the latch element and adapted for electrical connection with the opposite side of the line, spaced pull fuse units including fusible parts mounted upon the structure and extending through the openings in the latch element and engaging the latch element, said pull fuse units holding the latch element against swinging movement upon its pivot so that the latch element has holding engagement with the resilient latch means, said pull fuse units also having electrical connection with the latch element, a terminal electrically said movable contact being heldconnected with one pull fuse unit, a contact element pivotally mounted upon the structure between the pull fuse units and mechanically and electrically connected with the pull fuse unit which is not electrically connected with the terminal, the pivoted contact element being held against movement by the attached pull fuse unit before it blows, and a spring to swing the latch element into engagement with the terminal when the attached full fuse unit is blown.

4. An electrical switch comprising, a structure, means to pivotally support the structure near its lower end so that it may drop from a raised position to a lowered position when released, the sup porting means being adapted for electrical connection with one side of the line, a latch element pivotally mounted upon the supporting structure near its upper end, resilient latch means for coaction with the latch element and adapted for electrical connection with the opposite side of the line, spaced pull fuse units including fusible elements mounted upon the structure, said pull fuse units engaging the latch element to prevent the same from turning upon its pivot and also having electrical connection with the latch element, a terminal electrically connected with one pull fuse unit, a contact element pivotally mounted upon the supporting structure near its lower end and between the pull fuse units and mechanically and electrically connected with the pull fuse units which is not electrically connected with the terminal, said contact element being held against swinging movement upon its pivot by the attached pull fuse unit before it blows, and a spring to swing the latch element into engagement with the terminal when the attached pull fuse unit is blown.

5. An electrical switch comprising, a supporting member having openings, means to pivotally support the member so that it may swing in a substantially vertical plane, a contact element pivotally mounted upon the supporting member, a structure having sockets, tubes arranged within the openings of the supporting member and the sockets of the structure, a latch pivotally mounted upon the structure and having openings, fuse units including fusible parts arranged within the tubes and extending through the openings in the latch and having heads engaging over the latch, said fuse units serving to hold the pivoted latch against turning movement upon its pivot,

means for coaction with the latch so that the 6. An electrical switch comprising, a relatively stationary supporting element adapted for electrical connection with one side of the line, a supporting structure, a single pin pivotally connecting the supporting structure and supporting element so that the supporting structure may drop from the completely raised position to the completely lowered position by a pure turning movement about the single pin, a plurality of upstanding holders mounted upon the supporting structure, a terminal mounted upon the lower end of one holder, a plurality of pull fuse units having fusible parts for the holders, one pul: fuse unit being electrically and mechanically connected with the terminal, a contact element pivotally mounted upon the supporting structure and arranged near the lower ends of the holders, the contact element being mechanically and electrically connected with the pull fuse unit which is not electrically and mechanically connected with the terminal, the pivoted contact element being held against movement by the attached pull fuse unit, a spring to swing the contact element upon its pivot when it is released to bring it into contact with the terminal, a pivoted latch element arranged near the upper ends of the holders, a relatively stationary holding member-with which the latch element is adapted to have locking engagement, such locking engagement being released when the free end of the latch element moves from the relatively stationary holding member, the pull fuse units having mechanical and electrical connection with the latch element to hold the same against turning movement upon its pivot so that the free end of the latch element will not move from the relatively stationary holding member, the latch element being adapted for. electrical connection with one side of the line.

7. An electrical switch comprising, a relatively stationary supporting element adapted for electrical connection with one side of the line, an upstanding supporting structure, a single pin pivotally connecting the supporting structure and the supporting element so that the supporting structure may drop from the completely raised position to the completely lowered position by a pure turning movement about the single pin, a plurality of upstanding holders mounted upon the supporting structure, a terminal mounted upon the lower end of one holder, a plurality of pull fuse units having fusible parts for the holders, one pull fuse unit being electrically and. mechanically connected with the terminal, a contact element pivotally mounted upon the supporting structure and arranged near the lower ends of the holders, the contact element being mechanically and electrically connected with the pull fuse unit which is not electrically and mechanically connected with the terminal, the pivoted contact element being held against movement by the attached pull fuse unit, a spring to swing the contact element upon its pivot when it is released to bring it into contact with the terminal, a pivoted latch arranged near the upper ends of the holders and connected therewith to swing in a vertical plane, a relatively stationary holding member to receive the pivoted latch beneath it and having a part to lock with the pivoted latch, the locking engagement being released when the free end of the pivoted latch moves downwardly from the relatively stationary holding member, the pull fuse units having electrical connection with the pivoted latch and the pull fuse unit which is connected with the terminal having a mechanical connection with the latch for holding the pivoted latch against swinging movement in one direction until such pull fuse unit is blown, the pivoted latch element being adapted for connection with one side of the line.

AVERY L. SAL'IER. 

